2 cycle oil choices

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What oil are you running?

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I am really embarrassed to say right now. It is a big store house brand. (It rhymes with Paul Blart) It has no certifications on the bottle anywhere. I think I am going to switch to husqvarna‘s synthetic blend. I was leaning towards Lucas oil but the info on it says it is designed for non-premixed applications but “could” be used for a 50:1 mix. I prefer to run 40:1 in everything. So I am currently leaning towards an oil designed for chainsaws.
 
Shell X30 , Opti2 , Klotz Benol , Lucas Premium Synthetic , Amsoil Sabre , Maxima K2 are the various oils I have used in various 2 stroke Racing & Recreational Engines over the past 51 years , at recommended oil & engine manufacturer mix radio's from 16:1 to 80:1 . I have never witnessed a single oil related engine failure during this time on the track or on the trail . Proper oil , fuel selection & tuning will provide optimum engine performance & reliability when combined with a adequate preventative maintenance schedule ! ;)
 
I wouldn't say the piston speeds are low...maybe moderate is a bit more accurate. A Ford 302 V8 spinning at 6,000 rpm with a 3.00" stroke has a piston speed of 3,000 feet per minute. A Husky 550xp spinning at 13,500 rpm with a 1.36" stroke has a piston speed of 3,060 feet per minute. For the metric folks here that's 15.5 meters per second.

Sure, it's not Ferrari or Formula 1 piston fast, but it's not slow either and demands a good layer of lubrication. These engines are air cooled and those rod bearings take a beating. A well formulated synthetic oil that burns cleanly and offers good film strength that can exceed the minimum certification specs.

A low speed piston engine would be a Briggs and Stratton lawn mower engine. For example, a 3.5hp Briggs with a 1.75" stroke at 3600 rpm has a piston speed of 1,050 feet per minute. Now that's low.
Ok, when compared to a stock Briggs, 3000 fpm is "moderate", but I still stand by what I said. A 3-7hp, 40-90cc chainsaw doesn't have extreme lubrication needs, even through it isn't liquid cooled. I know some want to think that their off the shelf saws need "race oil". Compare the lubrication needs to a 2 stroke 125cc shifter cart engine, that turns 14k rpm, has piston speeds of 5000 fpm, and puts out 40hp. There's a two stroke that needs a "race" oil, and at 6-8oz per gallon. That engine has 4 times the specific output of a 550xp. If you have a 16hp 550, don't use Wally World JASO FD oil.

The truth is, most 2 stroke 0PE will die from a lean fuel/air mix, or from being straight gassed. Most will never "wear out" the engine.
 
I just picked up a bottle of Motul 710 2T on amazon for under $20. Gonna try it with the ethanol free fuel I found at a nearby gas station when I run outta VP SEF.


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710 is one of the best oils I have ever used, and burns great @ 40:1 or 32:1

When it comes to recommending oils, to me it's now more which ones I wouldn't run than which is best, as most work perfectly fine. For max protection ester oils is still where it's at. Listing specific oils can turn in to a **** show. Anyway I would run any of these oils and just forget about it and go cut wood, blow leaves or trim some grass.

In no particular order.
Honda HP2
Maxima K2, or Super M
Motul 710
Motul 800 off road
Amsoil Saber or Dominator, if you can get over hype the and 100:1 nonsense.
Echo Power Blend
Echo RedArmor
Husqvarna HP+
Other good oils are out there I just have no experience with them.

Some oils that I don't care for.
Anything with castor, smells awesome, but carbon and gummy mess, it's for racing only.
Lucas, thin as water, everything inside looked totally dry.
Stihl oil is dirty, expensive, smells bad.
Koltz oils Smell great but most run dirty, some are known to cause rust, again for racing it works great.
 
Does it have the JASO seal, or are they just claiming it meets the requirements? Not saying it's not good stuff I'm sure it's more than fine, but without the seal it hasn't actually been certified.

The seal look like this, an can only be used on oils that have actually been tested.


b98df3ede936c569bb8c010790c9dcdf.jpg
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Interesting. I see that on my new bottle of VP but notice it isn't on my bottles of Woodland Pro that I have been running for years
 
Interesting. I see that on my new bottle of VP but notice it isn't on my bottles of Woodland Pro that I have been running for years
Just because an oil isn't certified doesn't necessarily mean it wouldn't pass certification or that it won't preform perfectly fine. The certification does however give you an assurance of performance.
 
Ok, when compared to a stock Briggs, 3000 fpm is "moderate", but I still stand by what I said. A 3-7hp, 40-90cc chainsaw doesn't have extreme lubrication needs, even through it isn't liquid cooled. I know some want to think that their off the shelf saws need "race oil". Compare the lubrication needs to a 2 stroke 125cc shifter cart engine, that turns 14k rpm, has piston speeds of 5000 fpm, and puts out 40hp. There's a two stroke that needs a "race" oil, and at 6-8oz per gallon. That engine has 4 times the specific output of a 550xp. If you have a 16hp 550, don't use Wally World JASO FD oil.

The truth is, most 2 stroke 0PE will die from a lean fuel/air mix, or from being straight gassed. Most will never "wear out" the engine.
Ain't it the truth !
 
Just because an oil isn't certified doesn't necessarily mean it wouldn't pass certification or that it won't preform perfectly fine. The certification does however give you an assurance of performance.
Certification is just a form of due diligence , in a Quality Assurance Driven Marketplace . You are correct there are and have been numerous oils , some only FC specified that are more than adequate for chainsaw usage .
 
O'Reilly auto parts has there own brand of power sports oil in the quart which is FC rated and cost 6.49. it does contain a fuel stabilizer as well. Now there 2 cycle oil in the small bottles only has a api tc certification.
 
Just to show ya. Lot of folks like stihl ultra silver bottle the highest priced stuff I know of. It shows only FB. I wont touch the stuff myself by choice.

I have got alot of folks off that stuff here local. If I recall right even silver bottle poulan synthetic is FD

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Some info I have saved. http://chainsawrepair.createaforum.com/ported-saws/jaso-explained/

FB corresponds to high lubricity performance but without any low-smoke technology.

FC meets the FB lubricity standards but also is a low-smoke lubricant.

FD corresponds to higher detergency properties than the other two grades, meets the lubricity requirements and has low smoke requirements.
 
Some info I have saved. http://chainsawrepair.createaforum.com/ported-saws/jaso-explained/

FB corresponds to high lubricity performance but without any low-smoke technology.

FC meets the FB lubricity standards but also is a low-smoke lubricant.

FD corresponds to higher detergency properties than the other two grades, meets the lubricity requirements and has low smoke requirements.
That's correct group IV & V are all about low smoke , detergency & anti oxidizer additives . Any Group III oil is more than adequate for homeowner saw usage . I believe within small aircooled engine usage in today's grass trimmers , blowers and saws , that efuel contamination is a bigger liability actually . I find that the majority of premium synthetic oils group III thru V all have fuel conditioners within their detergent / anti oxidation blended additives to help prevent gumming while saws are in storage . I feel much better , knowing my expensive recreational equipment is protected by the best oils while in use and during seasonal off season storage . As you can obviously see , there are many Jaso certified oil groups. and products out there that will do the job ! :dancing:
 
BelRay! Best I have used and has been tested a lot. Very


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I use the quicksilver synthetic, because you can buy it in a gallon jug at walmart. It seems markedly better than some other cheaper non-synthetic I have on (branded homelite) in terms or smoke and smell, I mix at 40:1 target or a bit more. The VP oil in the measurement container seems good as well.
 

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